Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-09


The board of health.
The board Of pilot commissioners
The territorial librarian.
The commissioners to locate school fer |
defective youth.
The commissioners to locate insane asy- |
lum in Eastern Washington.
The artesisn well commissioners.
The board of education.
The commissioner of the American sxhi-
bition in London.
The health off or at Port Townsend
All these pamphlets contain informa-
ton upon the administration of the Terri
torial government and suggestions en-
bodying the experience Of the officers writ
ing them, which will doubtless be of SER
vice to your honorable body.
RESTRICTION on LEGISLATION.
There ia an act of Congress, approve
July 20. 1885, by which the powers of ter
ritorial legislatures are very much mar
rowed. 1t must be borne in mind, how
ever, that legislation on the subjects emu
| merated is not prohibited. 1t ia merely
provided that the statutes must be general
in their application. / print this act here
with for the convenience OF reference by
members of the legiisla ure.
I MINING AND IRRIGATION
Owing to recent extensive discoveries of
mines of precious and other metals in this
territory, necessity exists for the com
pletion and adoption of a code of mining
laws. Laws should also be passed regulat-
ng the use of water for mining and irri-
eating purposes. Owing to the rapid set
Element of the country. conflicts have al
ready arts IN in regard to these matter,
and asrghts become vested, the question
assumes more difficult shape every year
II laws are passed at this time regulating
the whole matter, much expensive litiga-
ton will be avoided.
CoDIFIcATIoN OF THE LAWS.
The laws of this Territory, owing to
careless legislation and decisions of the
courts, are in such a state of confusion
that it is very difficult even for expert
enced members of the bar to arrive at any
definite Inclusion in regard to them,
much less can citizen exactly determine
the rules that govern his ceduct, or the
!, laws that guarantee his rights and privi-
leges. Consultation of our laws by our
citizens is rendered still more difficult by
the absence of anything that can properly
be called an index to the volumes. To
! remedy these faults there seems to be a
general desire for the codifieation of our
I statutes. | suggest that instead of codi-
ication of our present laws, a commission
be created and instructed to prepare for
submission to the next legislature civil.
criminal and a probate code being
guided in their labors by adherence to the
( spirit of our laws as heretofore instituted
1t should also compile all general laws
unde- a separate h ad and provide mpe
tent index for the whole system.
GROSS EARNINGS ACT
It is undoubtedly the will of the people
that the act of the leyisl Iture approve
( November % 1892 known as the oros,
earnings tax law. should be repealed
+ While this should be done at this 5 ssion
; your constituents will undoubtedly expect
that you devise some better scheme of tax
alton OF railway properties in its place
: The conclusion has beer reached by the
: people of this territory that railway cor
/ porations have not been bearing their due
share of the burdens of taxation. The
pc pie are not wrong in this matter, anc
they confidently expect their just com
plants in that regard will be heard b,
your honorable body. and a remedy pro
yided. Questions of revenue are always
: difficult TO deal with, and require mucl
research and thought, bat 1 have no doubt
that your honorable body will be able t.
u DitA III ti.C pEtIlllScc, W 0lCD
while entirely just TO them, will effectu
ally emf rec upon railway corporations
their duty of supporting the government
J in their due proportion. The people
E simply want fair play in this matter.
: FREIGHTs AND FARES.
+ On my recent trip 10 the eastern part o.
, the territory | heard many complaints o
. exorbitant charges on the part of railway
com panies for carrying the crops TO tbs
= sc board The people Believe these com
2 paints to he just and are looking to thu
legislature for some kind of relief If tn.
transportation companies would coma for
Z ward in good faith and cooperate with tn.
> agent of the people in effort to prepar,
A measure that would be just to I'll con
cerned there would not be much difficulty
in solving the problem Unfortunately
o however, they appear to have pursued al
r obstructive policy and to have denied tn,
, right of the legislatures Of the people /,
interfere in the premises. Under thes,
: circumstances the work of devising prope
: regulations becomes one of great difficulty
: ALI that can be done is TO devise a statut,
that appears to answer the purpose anC
d subsequently amend it, as defects are no
: iced in practice, until it becomes as per
Y feet as may be. The right of the legisIa
ture to regulate freights and fares should
: not be doubted, however. and they shout,
never forego their determination to exer
else it.
: FISHERY LAWS.
-, During the past season an effort wa,
made to enforce the laws of the territoary
which provide for a close season for sal
# mon in the Columbia river. Learninl
: that the laws were being generally ne
elected, l made two visits 10 the rive
c unties and personally co-operated witt
the sheriffs there to enforce a cessation o
= illegal fishing. This was finally accom-
plished, more, perhaps, by common con
: sent than from fear of the laws which
pnnsinarp5 n ha n A1Ptlff of
d ment. owing to alleged technical defects
p The salmon fishe les of the Columb ia ar16
other Washington territory rivers vii
: yield from two 20 three million dollars p-l
G annum, according TO the season, for an in
definite time, if prudently and economi
: cally managed. As at present managed
: however, the industry viii be destroyed
u within the next five years. l suggest tina
: the matter is..of such Importance that ii
1 would justify the appointment of a specia